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NOTE: Due to Olympic and Chicago Bear coverage, we will suspend "What's Your Take?" articles until after the Olympics. We will have a myriad of articles to respond to for your viewing pleasure.
"Sports Quote of the Day"
"Winning teams have the least amount of distractions. They have a really tight group of people working towards the same common goal." ~ Larry Dixon, Professional Drag Racer
Trending: Jay Cutler, Jeremy Langford impress but Bears fall to Patriots. (See the football section for Bears and NFL updates).
Trending: Report: Patrick Kane joined Blackhawks brass in meeting with Jimmy Vesey. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks and NHL updates).
Trending: What Role Should Denzel Valentine Play as a Rookie? (See the basketball section for Bulls and NBA updates).
Trending: USOC apologizes for ‘distracting’ U.S. swimming incident. (See the Olympic section, (Last section on this blog) for Team USA and Olympic updates).
Trending: Cubs and White Sox road to the "World Series".
Cubs 2016 Record: 77-43
Cubs 2016 Record: 77-43
White Sox 2016 Record: 57-63
(See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! Jay Cutler, Jeremy Langford impress but Bears fall to Patriots.
By Associated Press
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Tom Brady sat out his second straight preseason game, while the guy that will replace him at the start of the regular season continued to make progress.
Brady did not go through pregame warmups Thursday night and never made it to the field for the New England Patriots' 23-22 win over the Chicago Bears.
Brady had been expected to make his debut after missing last week's game to attend memorial services for a family member.
Jimmy Garoppolo will start the first four games of the regular season while Brady serves his "Deflategate" suspension, and he made the most of the extra playing time.
He threaded a 16-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to A.J. Derby late in the first half for his first TD pass of the preseason. He played the entire first half and one series in the second half, finishing 16 of 21 for 181 yards.
Jay Cutler and Chicago's offense started the game with a lot more pep following an anemic effort in the opener last week.
The Bears gained 78 yards of offense in the first half of their 22-0 loss to Denver last week. Chicago gained 59 yards in its first drive Thursday and surpassed last week's total in its second possession.
Cutler played three series, completing 8 of 12 passes for 83 yards. Jeremy Langford also had a nice game, rushing eight times for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots are away for their final two preseason games, so Thursday marked Brady's last opportunity to play in Foxborough until at least Oct. 16. His four-game suspension ends Oct. 3, but New England plays at Cleveland on Oct. 9 in what is expected to be Brady's regular-season debut.
ROOKIE WATCH
Bears: DL Jonathan Bullard, a third-round pick out of Florida, and Georgia first-rounder LB Leonard Floyd got together to corral QB Jacoby Brissett for a sack late in the third quarter.
Patriots CB Cyrus Jones continues to make a case for playing time in an already stacked New England secondary. He came away with his second turnover in two weeks, this time stepping in front of Bears backup quarterback Brian Hoyer's first pass for an interception in the second quarter. He had a fumble recovery last week.
POSITION BATTLES
Bears: Though he never got a clean hit on a Patriots quarterback, Floyd did force some quick throws, and was one of the few positives for Chicago's reserves. ...TE Rob Housler showed off some speed with a 52-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter.
Patriots: Tight end A.J. Derby may have put some distance between himself, Bear Pascoe and Clay Harbor in the competition for the third tight end spot. Derby was all over the field, catching six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. WR Chris Hogan, an offseason free agent pickup, took off his noncontact jersey this week during practice and had a solid debut for the Patriots. He had four catches for 53 yards.
INJURY UPDATE
Bears: CB Jacoby Glenn started in place of Kyle Fuller (sore knee), but left in the third quarter with a concussion. TE Zach Miller and WR Eddie Royal both sat out Thursday's game as they recover from concussions.
Patriots: WR Julian Edelman was held out as he continues to take it easy after having a minor procedure this spring on his surgically repaired left foot. TE Rob Gronkowski, also sat out for the second consecutive game after leaving the first practice of the week early with an undisclosed issue. WR Malcolm Mitchell (left elbow) was also out.
The Patriots are away for their final two preseason games, so Thursday marked Brady's last opportunity to play in Foxborough until at least Oct. 16. His four-game suspension ends Oct. 3, but New England plays at Cleveland on Oct. 9 in what is expected to be Brady's regular-season debut.
ROOKIE WATCH
Bears: DL Jonathan Bullard, a third-round pick out of Florida, and Georgia first-rounder LB Leonard Floyd got together to corral QB Jacoby Brissett for a sack late in the third quarter.
Patriots CB Cyrus Jones continues to make a case for playing time in an already stacked New England secondary. He came away with his second turnover in two weeks, this time stepping in front of Bears backup quarterback Brian Hoyer's first pass for an interception in the second quarter. He had a fumble recovery last week.
POSITION BATTLES
Bears: Though he never got a clean hit on a Patriots quarterback, Floyd did force some quick throws, and was one of the few positives for Chicago's reserves. ...TE Rob Housler showed off some speed with a 52-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter.
Patriots: Tight end A.J. Derby may have put some distance between himself, Bear Pascoe and Clay Harbor in the competition for the third tight end spot. Derby was all over the field, catching six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. WR Chris Hogan, an offseason free agent pickup, took off his noncontact jersey this week during practice and had a solid debut for the Patriots. He had four catches for 53 yards.
INJURY UPDATE
Bears: CB Jacoby Glenn started in place of Kyle Fuller (sore knee), but left in the third quarter with a concussion. TE Zach Miller and WR Eddie Royal both sat out Thursday's game as they recover from concussions.
Patriots: WR Julian Edelman was held out as he continues to take it easy after having a minor procedure this spring on his surgically repaired left foot. TE Rob Gronkowski, also sat out for the second consecutive game after leaving the first practice of the week early with an undisclosed issue. WR Malcolm Mitchell (left elbow) was also out.
How likely are the Chicago Bears to go worst to first?
By Lester A. Wiltfong
(Photo/Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)
Last year the Chicago Bears were the bottom feeders of the NFC North with a 6-10 record. They went 1-5 in the division, being swept by the NFC North Champion Minnesota Vikings and the 3rd place Detroit Lions, and their lone win was against the Green Bay Packers on a beautiful Thanksgiving night. (This would be the perfect time for someone to throw that GIF of an angry Aaron Rodgers in our comment section.)
All of Chicago’s six divisional games were close, except the week 15 contest against the Vikes when they lost 17-38. But in their other four loses, the average score differential was less that a touchdown at 4.5 points. In fact, of all the 4th place finishers in the eight divisions, the Bears’ net points of -62 (335 points for - 397 points against) was the smallest margin.
Yeah the 2015 season was bad, but it wasn’t 2014 bad.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Report: Patrick Kane joined Blackhawks brass in meeting with Jimmy Vesey.
All of Chicago’s six divisional games were close, except the week 15 contest against the Vikes when they lost 17-38. But in their other four loses, the average score differential was less that a touchdown at 4.5 points. In fact, of all the 4th place finishers in the eight divisions, the Bears’ net points of -62 (335 points for - 397 points against) was the smallest margin.
Yeah the 2015 season was bad, but it wasn’t 2014 bad.
If head coach John Fox has the Bears on a similar track like his other two stops in the NFL, he’ll get get them to the top of the division this year. It’ll be a tough climb, in a tough division, but seemingly every season there’s at least one team that goes worst to first.
Why can’t it be the Bears?
ESPN Insider recently looked at the teams with the best chance of going worst to first and they ranked the Bears 5th behind the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
First off, there’s no way the Bucs are leapfrogging the defending NFC Champion Carolina Panthers. That team looks poised for another march to the Super Bowl.
The Titans and the Cowboys do play in divisions where a 9 win team landed on top last year, so I could see those happening. Quarterback play will be the key for both of those franchises, with Marcus Mariota’s development and Tony Romo’s health being critical to their success.
The Chargers, like the Bears, play in a division that had two playoff teams in it, so both of their ascents will be difficult.
Here’s what ESPN had to say about the Bears.
Playoff odds: 21.7 percent (28th)
The good news: Chicago is probably not going to have 83 pass targets going to Josh Bellamy, Marc Mariani and Cameron Meredith. It's a lot better to throw to a healthy Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. The bad news: Chicago will miss Matt Forte, particularly in the passing game. The offensive line has very little continuity from last season. And the defense, which has been near the bottom of the league for three straight years, should be better in the second year of Vic Fangio's scheme, but the free agents who spur a defense to take a significant leap forward are usually pass-rushers or star cornerbacks, not inside linebackers such as Jerrell Freeman and Danny Trevathan.
The o-line gelling is the most important facet for the Bears’ O and I’m not really concerned about the running backs. If the line comes together, there will be creases for the backs to hit, and I think someone will develop as a pass catcher out of the backfield for them.
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Report: Patrick Kane joined Blackhawks brass in meeting with Jimmy Vesey.
By Charlie Roumeliotis
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
When Jimmy Vesey hit free agency Tuesday, the sweepstakes officially began.
Every general manager likely checked in on the 23-year-old Hobey Baker Award winner's status when the clock struck midnight, but the Blackhawks were one of six teams listed as "strong contenders" to land Vesey from the beginning.
And to strengthen their recruiting pitch, the reigning Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane joined the team's brass in Boston on Wednesday to help sell Vesey to Chicago, according to Mark Divver of The Providence Journal.
The Blackhawks are going all out for the Harvard standout, and they're not the only ones doing it, either.
ESPN's Joey MacDonald reported Thursday that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Devils goaltender Cory Schneider and Islanders captain John Tavares were among the higher-profile names representing their respective organization's who reached out to Vesey in an attempt to lure him to their team.
After completing the meetings portion of the process, now it's a waiting game as Vesey sits down to weigh all his options before making a final decision, which is expected to come by the weekend.
Every general manager likely checked in on the 23-year-old Hobey Baker Award winner's status when the clock struck midnight, but the Blackhawks were one of six teams listed as "strong contenders" to land Vesey from the beginning.
And to strengthen their recruiting pitch, the reigning Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane joined the team's brass in Boston on Wednesday to help sell Vesey to Chicago, according to Mark Divver of The Providence Journal.
The Blackhawks are going all out for the Harvard standout, and they're not the only ones doing it, either.
ESPN's Joey MacDonald reported Thursday that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Devils goaltender Cory Schneider and Islanders captain John Tavares were among the higher-profile names representing their respective organization's who reached out to Vesey in an attempt to lure him to their team.
After completing the meetings portion of the process, now it's a waiting game as Vesey sits down to weigh all his options before making a final decision, which is expected to come by the weekend.
CUBS: Kris Bryant delivers another MVP performance for red-hot Cubs.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
It’s only the middle of August, but the Cubs are already getting questions about October lineups, the odd man out of the playoff rotation and how soon before the best team in baseball starts thinking about shaping the postseason roster.
This is really all Kris Bryant knows as a Cub. No rebuilding seasons, no wait until next year, just a realistic expectation to win the World Series now and keep winning later.
If not for his partnership in Bryzzo Souvenir Co., Bryant might be the National League’s clear-cut MVP favorite, instead of potentially splitting the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote with Anthony Rizzo.
Bryant launched two more home-run balls during Thursday afternoon’s 9-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field, going 5-for-5 with five RBI and falling a triple short of hitting for the cycle. That made Bryant the fifth player in franchise history with 30 homers in an age-24-or-younger season, joining Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Sammy Sosa and Rizzo.
“He always jokes around with me, saying: ‘You know, when Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown, Prince Fielder was hitting behind him,’” Bryant said. “He always tells me: ‘I’m your Prince.’
“I can’t say enough about having him behind me, just as a mentor and someone I learn a lot from, (with) how he goes about his at-bats. Even though he’s a lefty and I’m righty, it seems to me – and to him – that they pitch us very similarly.
“That (MVP talk), honestly, is just a byproduct of us pushing each other and really expecting more out of one another.”
Bryant leads in homers (30-25) and batting average (.296-.291), while Rizzo has driven in eight more runs (86) and posted a slightly higher .OPS (.960-.956). Rizzo is a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first base, while Bryant is an All-Star third baseman who can be shifted all over the infield or moved to any outfield position.
“This guy’s work ethic is incredible,” manager Joe Maddon said of Bryant. “He’s a very humble man, too. It’s not all about me. I know his picture’s everywhere, but he doesn’t act that way. He takes his craft seriously. He loves to play the game.”
Jorge Soler adds another dimension to Cubs lineup looking ahead to October.
By Patrick Mooney
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
Jorge Soler isn’t a finished product or the most polished hitter, but he’s someone the other team has to account for, a fast-twitch athlete with the power to change a game with one swing.
That’s exactly what Soler did for the Cubs during Wednesday night’s 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field, crushing Jimmy Nelson’s 93-mph fastball and driving it into the back of the left-center field bleachers, nearly hitting the bottom of the video board with a three-run homer.
That became the exclamation point to a five-run, first-inning blitz that allowed Jon Lester to go into cruise-control mode and gave the bullpen a breather the day after a doubleheader. Soler might not ever be able to do this for 150 games and 600 at-bats a year – the injury-prone label sticks – but he can be a dangerous hitter in a short playoff series.
Just look at what Soler did to the St. Louis Cardinals last October, setting a new major-league record by getting on base in his first nine career postseason plate appearances and hitting two homers in four games.
“Presence,” said Lester (13-4, 2.86 ERA), who pitched into the seventh inning and limited the Brewers to one run and three hits. “He’s a big feller.
“(It) adds to that pitcher having to work to get to the bottom of that order, (because) guys aren’t allowed to take breaks. That’s the biggest thing. Tonight (against the Brewers), you get to the bottom of the order, you’re like: ‘OK, I got this guy, I got this guy, then I got the pitcher.’ And you feel like you can navigate. I don’t feel like you can do that with our lineup.
“It’s very, very deep. And I think that plays well into October, and hopefully to where we can use different matchups as far as the DH.”
Yes, the didn’t-come-here-for-a-haircut Cubs are already thinking about the World Series, moving to 33 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2008 season and keeping a 12.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the division.
Soler embraced that playoff pressure last year, admitting he played with sharper focus, and the Cubs might need another big bat with Kyle Schwarber unable to hammer pitches onto video boards and Jason Heyward enduring one of the worst offensive seasons in baseball this year.
“When George is swinging it well, he’s a huge part of this team,” said David Ross, who also homered off Nelson in the third inning. “He’s a presence with the power he has – and how well he hits lefties – and now he’s hitting righties. He’s just not missing the ball. You can tell he’s locked in.
“It makes our lineup that much deeper. When he was out, from the catcher’s standpoint, you see that the lineup’s shortening. Once you get past a certain guy, then it’s a little easier to navigate the lineup.”
After missing almost two months with a strained hamstring, Soler has gone 11-for-29 with a double, four homers and 10 RBI in 10 games since coming off the disabled list, adding another dimension to the best team in baseball.
“That’s why the ball is being struck as well as it is – he’s really staying in the zone,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s been very patient. That’s something (our hitting coaches) promote with all of our hitters. But with him, it’s really obvious. When he’s in the zone, when he’s not permitting the pitcher to expand, he’s really good.”
That’s exactly what Soler did for the Cubs during Wednesday night’s 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field, crushing Jimmy Nelson’s 93-mph fastball and driving it into the back of the left-center field bleachers, nearly hitting the bottom of the video board with a three-run homer.
That became the exclamation point to a five-run, first-inning blitz that allowed Jon Lester to go into cruise-control mode and gave the bullpen a breather the day after a doubleheader. Soler might not ever be able to do this for 150 games and 600 at-bats a year – the injury-prone label sticks – but he can be a dangerous hitter in a short playoff series.
Just look at what Soler did to the St. Louis Cardinals last October, setting a new major-league record by getting on base in his first nine career postseason plate appearances and hitting two homers in four games.
“Presence,” said Lester (13-4, 2.86 ERA), who pitched into the seventh inning and limited the Brewers to one run and three hits. “He’s a big feller.
“(It) adds to that pitcher having to work to get to the bottom of that order, (because) guys aren’t allowed to take breaks. That’s the biggest thing. Tonight (against the Brewers), you get to the bottom of the order, you’re like: ‘OK, I got this guy, I got this guy, then I got the pitcher.’ And you feel like you can navigate. I don’t feel like you can do that with our lineup.
“It’s very, very deep. And I think that plays well into October, and hopefully to where we can use different matchups as far as the DH.”
Yes, the didn’t-come-here-for-a-haircut Cubs are already thinking about the World Series, moving to 33 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2008 season and keeping a 12.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the division.
Soler embraced that playoff pressure last year, admitting he played with sharper focus, and the Cubs might need another big bat with Kyle Schwarber unable to hammer pitches onto video boards and Jason Heyward enduring one of the worst offensive seasons in baseball this year.
“When George is swinging it well, he’s a huge part of this team,” said David Ross, who also homered off Nelson in the third inning. “He’s a presence with the power he has – and how well he hits lefties – and now he’s hitting righties. He’s just not missing the ball. You can tell he’s locked in.
“It makes our lineup that much deeper. When he was out, from the catcher’s standpoint, you see that the lineup’s shortening. Once you get past a certain guy, then it’s a little easier to navigate the lineup.”
After missing almost two months with a strained hamstring, Soler has gone 11-for-29 with a double, four homers and 10 RBI in 10 games since coming off the disabled list, adding another dimension to the best team in baseball.
“That’s why the ball is being struck as well as it is – he’s really staying in the zone,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s been very patient. That’s something (our hitting coaches) promote with all of our hitters. But with him, it’s really obvious. When he’s in the zone, when he’s not permitting the pitcher to expand, he’s really good.”
White Sox feeling empty after squandering another lead in loss to Indians.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
The White Sox found themselves in an ideal spot early on Thursday night.
But same as they have most of the season, the White Sox didn’t take advantage of their prime position.
The offense failed to pull away from the Cleveland Indians and it resulted in yet another tough loss as the White Sox dropped a 5-4 decision in front of 12,982 at Progressive Field.
Tyler Naquin’s pinch-hit sac fly off Jacob Turner in the ninth inning helped the Indians to their ninth win over the White Sox in 12 tries. The White Sox are 20-24 this season in one-run games, including four losses on their 4-5 road trip.
“We didn’t add on,” third baseman Todd Frazier said. “As hitters, we have to just keep going. We have to get them out of slam range. Get up by more than four runs, that would have been nice. Their bullpen did their job kind of and we added a couple on there, but it wasn’t enough there at the end.
“Just an emptiness leaving at all these parks. It’s tough.”
The most difficult part has been constantly asking a now-short-handed bullpen to pitch in closely-contested ballgames.
The White Sox have done it all season.
Their 44 one-run games tied them with the Seattle Mariners for the most in the majors and the White Sox have played another 25 games decided by two or fewer runs.
But early on it looked as if the White Sox might pull away on the heels of Wednesday’s 10-run performance. Indians starter Danny Salazar walked three of the first four batters he faced and Justin Morneau hit a bases-clearing double to put the White Sox ahead 3-0.
Salazar exited after 34 pitches and gave way to the bullpen, which is usually a good thing.
Apparently not.
Kyle Crockett pitched a scoreless inning and Steve Clevinger followed with four strong frames, allowing a run on two hits and a walk. He struck out four and afforded the Indians time to rally against Carlos Rodon and the White Sox bullpen.
Rodon threw strikes, attacked hitters and made the big pitch when necessary on Thursday.
He allowed eight hits in six innings, walked none and struck out five. He benefitted from four double plays, with one in each of the first five innings save for the third.
Rodon took a two-run lead into the sixth inning, but quickly found trouble when Jason Kipnis hit a one-out, ground-rule double to put two in scoring position. Rodon surrendered a run on an RBI single by Francisco Lindor, but got another big play from his defense to escape the inning with a one-run lead.
“Nobody is an easy out,” said Rodon, who has a 3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 innings since he came off the disabled list. “You get 0-2 on them and they seem pretty comfortable laying off the slider and work back in the count. They made it tough.
“Some big pitches made and defense definitely picked me up in the first and a few other times.”
“Definitely an empty feeling. All of us playing hard. We are leaving it all out there and it just doesn’t happen.”
The Indians scored a run in each of the last five innings.
Chris Beck and Turner, both of whom have been thrust into key roles because of an inexperienced group, allowed one apiece in the seventh and ninth innings. Nate Jones, who was summoned to finish the seventh, didn’t escape the eighth before he allowed Jose Ramirez’s two-out, game-tying single.
“They gave us an opportunity early by walking guys and Justin with the big hit,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “But after that their bullpen comes in and just kind of shuts us down.
“You’ve got to be able to do more with that once you get the starter out as early as we did.
“The way it started off today, you figured at least offensively gonna have something go your way.”
White Sox setup man Nate Jones has developed into more than 'regular guy'.
By Dan Hayes
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
When it comes to his recovery from elbow surgery, Nate Jones feels as if he’s like any other pitcher in the big leagues.
It’s a spot Jones wasn’t sure he’d ever reach when he returned to the majors last August. But here he is and look what Jones has developed into.
Not only has Jones -- 5-2 with three saves and a 2.13 ERA in 55 innings -- continued to strike out more than a hitter per inning, he has harnessed his command of the zone and drastically improved his walk rate.
“Right away last year I was kind of battling a little bit of soreness each time I threw,” Jones said. “But the further we got away from the surgery the better I recovered. This year I haven’t had any problems or major soreness or anything like that. I can tell how much more quickly I bounce back than right out of the gate last year.
“I’m just a regular guy.”
Perhaps on the injury front he’s a regular guy, but Jones has developed into a formidable late-innings pitcher. Several major league scouts said Jones’ improved command of the fastball and slider has turned him into an outstanding setup man and potentially a closer.
Headed into this season, Jones walked 3.58 walks batters per nine innings, including four per in 2012. This season, Jones has averaged 2 walks per nine. He attributes it to applying some of the lessons he learned early in his career and credits many of his former veteran teammates for helping him to make the adjustment.
“It’s always good to have that foundation,” Jones said. “I’ve just learned what they taught me and applied it to now because in ’14 and ’15 I had a lot of time to think about it.
“Just attacking hitters and getting ahead with strike one. That’s the biggest thing, if you get ahead and stay ahead you can attack and go after the hitters instead of, if you’re falling behind, you have to throw strikes and they know that and that’s when they start hitting.”
Jones is on pace to appear in a career-high 76 games this season.
He broke through the scar tissue last season and hasn’t experienced the same soreness when he’s on the mound in 2016. Still, White Sox manager Robin Ventura remains cautious with Jones. He said one of the reasons he doesn’t like to ask him to warm up more than once in the bullpen is he doesn’t want to jeopardize Jones’ career.
“You’re always going to be very careful, especially the guy who is high velocity and has the ability to do the things and be available as much as Nate is,” Ventura said. “So you are careful, as far as if he feels anything or is tired, you monitor his usage.”
Jones is pleased to be in this position. He wasn’t sure what to expect as he rehabbed from his July 30, 2014 surgery. He just trusted what doctors, trainers and teammates who’d had Tommy John told him and worked hard.
Now he has seen the benefits.
“You’re always wondering is it ever going to go away? Or am I going to be sore throughout my career constantly?” Jones said. “That goes through your mind a little. But you’ve got to trust the process and keep working hard at it and it has worked out this year.
It’s a long process. Trust the process and you get out of it what you put into it, so bust your ass every day and it will show in the end.”
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... What Role Should Denzel Valentine Play as a Rookie?
By Nate Brenner
After a stunning regular season campaign with Michigan State, Denzel Valentine's Spartans flopped in the first round to Middle Tennessee in the biggest upset of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Destined to bounce back, Valentine was drafted 14th by the Bulls and led the team to undefeated run to the Summer League title with not one, but TWO buzzer beaters. As the new season approaches, many wonder what role Denzel will play in a reshaped Chicago squad this year, featuring the likes of Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade & Rajon Rondo. Here's a look at his options:
Starter
While I love Valentine's potential and ability to play on the perimeter and down low, he's still just a rookie. Give him some time to develop into a true starter. While apprenticing for Wade, I'm sure he will learn lots from the 3-time NBA Finals champion.
Sixth Man
Valentine's offensive prowess is a valuable asset for the Bulls, and with Wade aging, Valentine may play often to let the veteran rest. While with Michigan State last year, he averaged the most points and assists on the team. He came 2nd in rebounds per game to the talented big man Matt Costello. Not only is he an offensive weapon, he plays great defense, averaging a steal per game in his final season with the Spartans. A jack of all trades, Denzel's ability should be utilized frequently in Hoiberg's game plan.
Bench Warmer
Bench Warmer
Absolutely not. He's too much of a talent not to be playing on the court. He might not get as much time as he would on other teams, but he has to be on the floor at least 15 minutes a game or else it would be a waste of a talented player. He's already proven he can school defenders in the Summer League, so let's see if he can do the same in the NBA.
As the 14th overall pick, Valentine is a steal for his all around ability and offensive prowess. He can play in any system that Fred Hoiberg wants to run, and having Dwyane Wade as a mentor in his first year in the NBA just adds on to the potential that the kid has. Hopefully, he can help boost the Bulls to a playoff season this year.
Poll
Will Denzel Valentine become a star player for the Bulls?
95 votes total
Note: FanPosts are user-created posts from the BlogABull community, and are to be treated as the opinions and views of that particular user, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
Golf: I got a club for that..... Rafa Cabrera Bello, Kevin Na share Wyndham Championship lead.
AP
Rested after the Rio Olympics, Rafa Cabrera Bello shot a 7-under 63 on Thursday in the Wyndham Championship for a share of the first-round lead with Kevin Na.
Cabrera Bello eagled the par-5 fifth and closed the bogey-free round with a birdie on Sedgefield's par-4 ninth. On Sunday, the 32-year-old Spaniard tied for fifth in Rio.
"Last week was a big adrenaline week," Cabrera Bello said. "It was the first time I was really not playing for myself, just playing for my country and obviously it's a huge honor, but also big responsibility. I wanted to do good and I was pleased with my result. ... Coming into this week, I felt the game was good, just needed a bit of rest."
The four-time European Tour winner is trying to stay in position for a Ryder Cup spot, with more ranking points available in North Carolina than the European event in the Czech Republic. The shorter travel also played a role in his decision to play the tournament.
"There was a chance of me not making it through the money list and making it through the world ranking points list, that's what I wanted to focus on," Cabrera Bello said. "I'm pretty sure this week has a stronger world ranking than the one in Europe and I also felt that it was going to be easier to travel south to north than from Rio to Czech Republic, jet lag-wise."
Na had seven birdies in his bogey-free round in the PGA Tour's final regular-season event. The American tied for eighth last week in the John Deere Classic. He won his lone tour title in 2011 in Las Vegas.
"Hit it well," Na said. "Made a lot of putts. That putter has not been all that hot this year and it was nice to see a lot of putts go in. It's usually over the years been my strong part of game but I felt like I really found something."
Luke Donald, Brandt Snedeker, Derek Fathauer, New Zealand Olympian Danny Lee and Peter Malnati shot 65. Donald made a hole-in-one on the 16th.
"Had a perfect number, downhill a little bit, 159 (yards) and it was playing straight downwind and good 9-iron for me and looked good all the way," Donald said. "Hit a foot short and went in the hole. Bonus when it goes in, obviously, and nice to win a holiday for life. Apparently that's what I got for it."
Snedeker, the 2007 winner at Forest Oaks, bogeyed the final hole. He's fighting for a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
"I want to be on that team. I love playing Ryder Cups," Snedeker said. "'m going to use that as motivation to go out there and work hard and grind my tail off the next three days."
Jim Furyk had a 66 in his first round since shooting the first 58 in PGA Tour history two weeks ago in the final round of the Travelers Championship.
"Right now, a touch frustrating," Furyk said. "If I went back, I think I hit a bunch of greens. I might have hit every green. Two three-putts were the two bogeys. The greens are just really difficult. They're very quick. There's a ton of slope in them."
Patrick Reed also had a 66. He won the 2013 event for his first tour title.
"Just a special place to us and one of the places I need to come back and play," said Reed, coming off a tie for 11th in Rio. "I'm off to a good start."
U.S. Olympic teammate Rickie Fowler birdied his last two holes for a 67. He tied for 37th in Rio.
"We enjoyed being down there and the big thing coming from there up to here is not how much of a time change, there's only an hour back," Fowler said. "That makes things a lot easier."
Davis Love III, the tournament winner last year at age 51, is sidelined following hip surgery.
"It's disappointing not to get to play," said the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, a three-time champion in the event. "The surgery went well. Rehab is going even better."
The top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify for The Barclays next week at Bethpage Black. It the next-to-last chance to earn Ryder Cup points, with the top eight players determined after The Barclays. Love will make his first three captain's picks Sept. 11 after the BMW Championship. The final pick comes two weeks later after the Tour Championship.
Robert Allenby had two double bogeys in a 74. The Australian was arrested outside a casino in Rock Island, Illinois, last week after missing the cut in the John Deere Classic. He was charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing. In January 2015, Allenby was found with severe bruises several hours after visiting a restaurant with friends. Allenby, who had missed the cut in the Sony Open, claimed to have been abducted and beaten. A Hawaii man was sentenced to five years in prison for using Allenby's credit cards and identification.
Lewis, critic of male no-shows, surges in golf.
By Dan Martin
USA's Stacy Lewis competes during the Rio Olympic Games on August 18, 2016 (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)
American golfer Stacy Lewis, a critic of male Olympic no-shows, announced her presence Thursday with 11 birdies to surge into contention halfway through the Rio Games women's competition.
Lewis shot an 8-under-par 63 to end her second round at nine-under for the tournament -- the first women's Olympic event in 116 years.
She was just a shot back of former world number one Park In-Bee, who posted a 66 for the second straight day in Rio de Janeiro to go to 10-under.
Britain's Charley Hull and Canada's Brooke Henderson were a further shot behind Lewis at eight-under overall.
Lewis said last month it was "really disappointing" that the world's top male golfers skipped the Games.
Unlike the women's tournament, more than 20 men's stars including the four highest-ranked players stayed home.
They cited reasons ranging from the Zika virus to scheduling issues but the no-shows fuelled questions over golf's Olympic staying power.
"There are a lot of reasons maybe why we shouldn’t have come, whether it was Zika or other issues... but I did my homework and nobody gave me a reason I should not come," Lewis said after Thursday's round.
"There would have to be something seriously wrong for me to not come and play in the Olympics."
Lewis struggled to a one-under 70 in the first round, but found a groove Thursday, closing with four straight birdies to take the clubhouse lead before Park ended with a three-birdie run of her own.
The tournament is the first since American Margaret Abbott won a nine-hole event at the Paris Games in 1900.
Men's golf returned earlier during the Rio Games, with Britain's Justin Rose on Sunday winning the first men's gold in 112 years in a thrilling duel with Sweden's Henrik Stenson.
South Korea's Park continued to look steady despite missing time on the pro tour lately due to a nagging thumb injury, with just one bogey so far.
She leads a team of four South Koreans who qualified for the Olympics -- more than any other nation and underlining the country's dominance of the women's game.
All four are in the top ten.
They include Chun In-Gee, who was four strokes back of Park. Her compatriots Kim Sei-Young and Amy Yang also remained in contention.
Park became the first woman to sink a hole-in-one on the par-71 Olympic course, coming in a practice round this week.
"I've just got to try and stay as calm as I can and try to play like I did the last two days," Park said.
- Getting focused -
Lewis, the world number seven, has suggested that the greater winnings available to male pros compared to women may have caused their top stars to undervalue playing for one's country.
She added that their absences could hurt women Olympians by endangering golf's place in the Games.
But Lewis insisted she started Thursday's round thinking less about that than about how angry she was with the day before, when she couldn't find a rhythm.
"(It was) frustrating that the golf swing wasn’t there and hadn’t been for a few days," she said.
"Sometimes when I get made I get more focused."
She carded one bogey and a double on Thursday, but also rolled in six putts of 10 feet or more including a near-30-footer on the par-four 11th hole.
"Anytime you see putts going in, it kind of frees up the swing a little bit more," Lewis said.
NASCAR’s weekend schedule for Bristol Motor Speedway.
By Daniel McFadin
(Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
After a weekend off, the Sprint Cup Series returns to action for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The undercard is the Xfinity Series’ Food City 300. Both races at the half-mile track will be under the lights.
Here’s the full weekend schedule for the two series with TV and Radio information.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, August 19
7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open
10 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens
10 – 11:25 a.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBC Sports App)
12:30 – 1:55 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBC Sports App with USA Network coverage beginning at 1 p.m.)
3:15 p.m. – Xfinity qualifying; three rounds-multi-car (NBC Sports App)
5 p.m. – Xfinity driver-crew chief meeting
5:45 p.m. – Sprint Cup qualifying; three rounds-multi car (USA Network, Performance Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
7 p.m.- Xfinity driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – Food City 300; 300 laps/159.9 miles (USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday, August 20
Noon – Sprint Cup garage opens
5:15 p.m. – Driver-crew chief meeting
7:15 p.m. – Driver introductions
8 p.m. – Bass Pro Shop NRA Night Race (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
The undercard is the Xfinity Series’ Food City 300. Both races at the half-mile track will be under the lights.
Here’s the full weekend schedule for the two series with TV and Radio information.
All times are Eastern.
Friday, August 19
7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Sprint Cup garage open
10 a.m. – Xfinity garage opens
10 – 11:25 a.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBC Sports App)
12:30 – 1:55 p.m. – Sprint Cup practice (NBC Sports App with USA Network coverage beginning at 1 p.m.)
3:15 p.m. – Xfinity qualifying; three rounds-multi-car (NBC Sports App)
5 p.m. – Xfinity driver-crew chief meeting
5:45 p.m. – Sprint Cup qualifying; three rounds-multi car (USA Network, Performance Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
7 p.m.- Xfinity driver introductions
7:30 p.m. – Food City 300; 300 laps/159.9 miles (USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday, August 20
Noon – Sprint Cup garage opens
5:15 p.m. – Driver-crew chief meeting
7:15 p.m. – Driver introductions
8 p.m. – Bass Pro Shop NRA Night Race (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sprint Cup Chase bubble watch entering Bristol Motor Speedway.
By Kelly Crandall
(Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
Eleven drivers on the Chase Grid have won races. Six of the 11 have multiple wins, with Tony Stewart, who won at Sonoma Raceway in June, the lowest seeded driver among those with one win. Stewart is 11th on the grid after missing the first eight races of the year.
But the Chase picture could change dramatically by Richmond International Raceway next month.
Chris Buescher is the most recent first-time winner of 2016 after being declared the victor of a rain-shortened event at Pocono Raceway. However, Buescher is 31st in points and not eligible for the Chase because he’s not in the top 30. With four races to go, the Front Row Motorsports driver needs to make up three points to move onto the Chase grid.
Here is the Chase bubble entering Saturday night at Bristol with and without Buescher in the top 30 in points:
Following Bristol, the Sprint Cup Series will visit Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 28), Darlington Raceway (Sept. 4), and Richmond International Raceway (Sept. 10) to complete the regular season.
SOCCER: Fire midfielder Matt Polster trying to find a rhythm in his second year.
By Dan Santaromita
(Photo/csnchicago.com)
One of the most boisterous personalities during a Chicago Fire practice is Matt Polster.
The second-year midfielder is frequently laughing, joking and maybe even trash talking his teammates during a competitive drill. That’s not something you would have seen last year when he was a rookie.
“I think (I’m) more comfortable,” Polster said. “I was not like that my first year. Maybe when everybody went inside, but not during though.”
As a rookie, the then-quieter Polster quickly became a regular in the starting lineup and was a finalist for MLS Rookie of the Year. He made 27 starts and played in 30 out of 34 league games.
This season Polster scored his first MLS goal and was credited with his first MLS assist, both coming in the past three matches, but his playing time hasn’t been as consistent. For starters, he missed some training time in the Fire’s preseason when the U.S. Olympic qualifying team got together in late January and then again in March when they played a home-and-home playoff against Colombia. Polster didn’t miss any MLS matches for those trips though.
However, he did suffer a concussion in the Fire’s first match after the Copa America break on June 15. He missed four league matches and one more in the U.S. Open Cup and didn’t return to the field until July 13. Going through that as a pro brought more awareness of concussions to Polster.
“I’m sure I had one in college, I just never really knew,” he said. “There was an incident that I recalled after this that was kind of the same thing, but I just played through it. Being more aware of it now and bringing it into the media and into light. I think our staff did a good job of trying to keep me out for a little bit longer and making sure that everything is cleared up before I get back into a game or training.”
On top of that Polster has had some minor injuries. It has all added up to make for a choppy season for the Southern Illinois-Edwardsville product.
Polster also admitted feeling some initial pressure to “reprove” himself to a new coaching staff this season. When healthy, Polster has rarely missed a starting lineup under coach Veljko Paunovic, who has described Polster as a “very energetic” player. Still, Polster thinks he is capable of more than what he has shown in 2016.
Premier League preview: Man United vs. Southampton.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
Manchester United welcome Southampton to Old Trafford on Friday.
Jose Mourinho will take charge of his first home PL game for United and he has an incredible home league record throughout his indomitable career. The Portuguese coach has lost just nine of his 257 home league games in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain and hopes to turn Old Trafford into a fortress in his debut season in charge of the Red Devils.
United beat Bournemouth 3-1 away from home in their opening game of the new PL season and sit top of the table, while world-record signing Paul Pogba is expected to play some part for United after Mourinho confirmed he is ready. Pogba was suspended so couldn’t make his United debut last weekend following his $117 million move from Juventus 10 days ago.
As for Saints, they have a new manager too with Frenchman Claude Puel arriving from Nice in the summer. His first game in charge saw Saints draw 1-1 at home to Watford and he’s been using a new diamond formation in midfield which has had mixed results during preseason.
In team news United could welcome Chris Smalling back into the starting lineup, while Saints have just one injury with left back Ryan Bertrand unavailable.
What they’re saying
Mourinho on importance of the fans at Old Trafford: “It all starts there, the relationship between the team and the fans. If at Old Trafford, a couple of thousand away fans can be more noisy than 70,000, we are in trouble. It means there is no connection.”
Saints’ Nathan Redmond on heading to United: “Playing against a great team in one of the biggest stadiums in the world is something we are looking forward to. As a player, you want to play in these types of games and show what you are about. We head to Old Trafford with confidence and belief and look forward to imposing our game plan.
Prediction
There’s a real feel-good factor around Old Trafford and Mourinho and his side will look to get the fans on board as soon as they can. Expect a fast start from United and if they score early this could be a very comfortable win. That said, Saints will be tough to break down and Puel’s side had the second best defensive record on the road last season. This will be tight but on Mourinho’s big night his team will get the job done. 2-1 to Manchester United.
USMNT will host New Zealand in October friendly.
By Matt Reed
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
After originally being slated to take on traditional World Cup rival Ghana, the U.S. Men’s National Team was handed another opponent on Wednesday.
The USMNT will host New Zealand on October 11 from RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., with kick off for the match slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
October’s meeting between the two sides will mark the third time the two nations have met in their respective histories. The U.S. is unbeaten in their last nine matches at RFK, giving the Americans a decisive advantage against the Kiwis.
The match will come a month after the U.S. completes the fourth round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. With two games remaining in Group C play, Jurgen Klinsmann and his side sit second behind Trinidad & Tobago. The top two teams from all three qualifying groups advance to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, known as the Hexagonal.
NCAAFB: Forget history, these are the best college football rivalries.
The USMNT will host New Zealand on October 11 from RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., with kick off for the match slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
October’s meeting between the two sides will mark the third time the two nations have met in their respective histories. The U.S. is unbeaten in their last nine matches at RFK, giving the Americans a decisive advantage against the Kiwis.
The match will come a month after the U.S. completes the fourth round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. With two games remaining in Group C play, Jurgen Klinsmann and his side sit second behind Trinidad & Tobago. The top two teams from all three qualifying groups advance to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, known as the Hexagonal.
NCAAFB: Forget history, these are the best college football rivalries.
By Chip Patterson
(Photo/CBS Sports)
Ohio State-Michigan has a storied past, but recently it's Ohio State-Michigan State has been the best Big Ten matchup.
Michigan State is the biggest game on Ohio State's schedule. It hasn't always been that way, but right now it's the most consequential game in determining the outcome of the teams' seasons.
Michigan fans disagree, obviously, as do some Buckeyes. The Big Game wins over time, sure, but in this moment Sparty-Buckeyes is the premiere Big Ten conference game. It's one that gets circled by all college football fans a week or two in advance to avoid missing the next chapter of the Mark Dantonio-Urban Meyer rivalry.
Because we are prisoners of the moment in college football and stuck with only a small sample size of games to feed our addiction as fans, it doesn't take too many seasons to establish a modern rivalry. They are often centered around coaches and their back-and-forth both on and off the field, but a few disappointing (or program-changing) results can quickly heighten those rivalries in the locker room as well.
College football's best modern rivalry escalated to a new level in a disappointing loss for the Buckeyes that was also a program-changing win for Mark Dantonio and Michigan State.
Urban Meyer has won three national titles at two different schools and is rightly regarded as one of the best coaches in college football, but the pizza game was a moment in time that will never be forgotten by Big Ten fans. A photo, taken by USA Today's George Schroeder, encompassed the emotions of having a title shot stripped away in the final moments of grueling regular season.
Ohio State had won every game with Meyer on the sideline to that point, 24-0 and perfect against Big Ten opponents. The Spartans, one year removed from a 7-6 finish, pulled off the upset and rode the momentum into the Rose Bowl. That 2013 Big Ten title game was a defining moment in the rivalry.
Since that 2013 win against Ohio State, Michigan State has an uptick in the recruiting rankings every year. No longer the "little brother" in the state, the Spartans now stand eye-to-eye with the Wolverines thanks to their recent success and the recruiting rankings show an increasingly competitive battle on the trail as well.
Michigan fans disagree, obviously, as do some Buckeyes. The Big Game wins over time, sure, but in this moment Sparty-Buckeyes is the premiere Big Ten conference game. It's one that gets circled by all college football fans a week or two in advance to avoid missing the next chapter of the Mark Dantonio-Urban Meyer rivalry.
Because we are prisoners of the moment in college football and stuck with only a small sample size of games to feed our addiction as fans, it doesn't take too many seasons to establish a modern rivalry. They are often centered around coaches and their back-and-forth both on and off the field, but a few disappointing (or program-changing) results can quickly heighten those rivalries in the locker room as well.
College football's best modern rivalry escalated to a new level in a disappointing loss for the Buckeyes that was also a program-changing win for Mark Dantonio and Michigan State.
Urban Meyer has won three national titles at two different schools and is rightly regarded as one of the best coaches in college football, but the pizza game was a moment in time that will never be forgotten by Big Ten fans. A photo, taken by USA Today's George Schroeder, encompassed the emotions of having a title shot stripped away in the final moments of grueling regular season.
Ohio State had won every game with Meyer on the sideline to that point, 24-0 and perfect against Big Ten opponents. The Spartans, one year removed from a 7-6 finish, pulled off the upset and rode the momentum into the Rose Bowl. That 2013 Big Ten title game was a defining moment in the rivalry.
Since that 2013 win against Ohio State, Michigan State has an uptick in the recruiting rankings every year. No longer the "little brother" in the state, the Spartans now stand eye-to-eye with the Wolverines thanks to their recent success and the recruiting rankings show an increasingly competitive battle on the trail as well.
| Year | Michigan State (Ranking, Avg. Rating) | Michigan (Ranking, Avg. Rating) |
| 2013 | No. 5 Big Ten, Avg: 85.60 | No. 2 Big Ten, Avg: 86.22 |
| 2014 | No. 4 Big Ten, Avg: 86.71 | No. 2 Big Ten, Avg: 82.25 |
| 2015 | No. 3 Big Ten, Avg: 87.70 | No. 5 Big Ten, Avg: 87.81 |
| 2016 | No. 3 Big Ten, Avg: 88.83 | No. 2 Big Ten, Avg: 89.96 |
Rankings via the 247Sports Composite
"We used to sell recruits on a vision, now we can sell results," Dantonio told CBS Sports on National Signing Day in 2015. It's a phrase that he's continued to use on the recruiting trail to point out five 11+ win seasons, three conference titles and three straight top-six finishes in the polls at the end of the year.
The fallout from that 17-14 last-second loss to Michigan State included finger-pointing, the beginning of an NFL Draft exodus and disappointment that felt all-too-familiar to anyone who was there for the 2013 Big Ten title game loss as well. Ohio State went 12-1, a banner year for anyone else in the country, and it was a disappointment because the preseason No. 1 team in the country missed out on the College Football Playoff. There's just not a modern rivalry in college football that has combined winning at the highest level with the ultimate drama over the last four years than the Meyer-Dantonio era of Ohio State-Michigan State. Excluding just a short list of "traditional rivalries" -- Alabama-Auburn, Michigan-Ohio State, Notre Dame-USC, Oklahoma-Texas, Army-Navy, BYU-Utah, Cal-Stanford, Florida-Florida State, Georgia-Georgia Tech, Clemson-South Carolina, UCLA-USC, Arizona-Arizona State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oregon-Oregon State -- here are the next best modern rivalries. 2. Clemson vs. Florida State Jon Solomon wrote extensively on the modern Clemson-Florida State rivalry last month, where he was sure to note that only three teams have finished in the top 15 of the AP Top 25 each of the last four years: Alabama and the two ACC Atlantic foes that have given us instant-classic regular season clashes on the field. "That's a game that the fans and the players and our whole staff look forward to," Dalvin Cook told CBS Sports. "They recruit talent just like we do so you've got to respect the game. That's just become the rival between Florida State and Clemson and I love it." 3. Alabama vs. LSU Would be No. 1 or No. 2 if not for the Tide's five-game winning streak in the series. Don't get it twisted though, everything about Alabama-LSU is still just as strong as though the score is even (but for the record, it's 50-25-5 all-time in favor of the Tide). The game gets primetime treatment, usually is decided by just a few key plays and always is loaded with future NFL players. Best matchup for 2016 edition: Leonard Fournette vs. Alabama's front seven. Each of the last two years, Fournette has run into the brick wall that is Alabama's defensive front and needed a game (both years the Arkansas game) before getting back on track. Last year the sudden halt not only happened statistically but also impacted the Heisman Trophy race. Fournette knows he was one of the best backs in the country last season, but totaling 31 yards against Alabama and 91 against Arkansas after rushing for 150+ in every single game was a letdown in the eyes of some voters who were then distracted by Derrick Henry's production with an incredible workload. Fournette's tweet of a "side-eye" emoji after a Heisman finalist snub made LSU fans every excited for what might be a vengeful 2016 campaign from one of the hardest runners in college football. If the Alabama game derailed his Heisman campaign a year ago, you can bet it will be as big a storyline as Les Miles-Nick Saban during game week. 4. Stanford vs. Oregon Since 2009, either the Cardinal or Ducks has won the Pac-12 title. That kind of conference dominance is similar to what Florida State and Clemson have in the ACC, even as both teams have undergone coaching changes. The key to sustaining the rivalry has been the continuity in each program with David Shaw and Mark Helfrich, respectively, maintaining the high level of play established when they were offensive staffers under Jim Harbaugh and Chip Kelly. Even in a supposed down year for the Ducks, this rivalry got a new wrinkle as Oregon's 38-36 win in Palo Alto likely kept Stanford from the College Football Playoff. New question: Can they defend the North crown from the Huskies? There is a lot of buzz around Washington this season. The Huskies are nationally ranked, led by one of the winningest coaches (percentage-wise) in the sport and have something Oregon and Stanford lack in a returning starting quarterback. It's a jump to think that this 7-6 team from 2015 will be able usurp both of the perennial Pac-12 powers, so while Washington might knock off one it's going to be another year before the Bird-Tree alliance gives up the top spot in the North. Art Briles and Gary Patterson each won three games during the 2010-15 run of their in-state series, including three absolute classics, all won by the Bears. Two up-start in-state programs -- Baylor on its way to national prominence and TCU moving up into the Big 12 -- held the attention of the college football world in 2014, first with the 61-58 shootout that was one of the biggest wins in Baylor program history and then with the controversial tie for the Big 12 title. These modern rivals found themselves as the first two teams left out of the first-ever College Football Playoff, and that confusion of the final week will forever be tied to their high-scoring Texas rivalry. Best modern rivalry moment: Baylor trolled TCU in its 2015 team picture, putting No. 61 Jarrell Broxton and No. 58 Spencer Drango side-by-side on the front row, just to the right of then-coach Art Briles. The 61-58 troll was art, by Art.  | ||
College GameDay headed to Lambeau Field for opening Saturday.
By Zach Barnett
(Photo/Getty Images)
So it makes perfect sense when ESPN announced Wednesday College GameDay will put up its stakes in Green Bay for the LSU-Wisconsin showdown on the season’s opening Saturday.
The Lambeau visit marks the second of a odd home-and-home between the Badgers and Bayou Bengals. LSU topped Wisconsin 28-24 in Houston to open the 2014 season.
“Lambeau Field is hailed as a football shrine and is as special of a venue as the game of football has to offer,” ESPN senior coordinating producer Lee Fitting said in a statement. “It is an honor to be able to stage College GameDay from Lambeau as we kick off this opening weekend filled with top-caliber games.”
There were a plethora of choices for Sept. 3 — almost too much. Alabama-USC offers the biggest brand names, and will, in fact, host ABC’s top play-by-play crew of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. Oklahoma-Houston offers the best combination of highly-ranked teams and competitive balance. Auburn-Clemson would’ve been a choice few could have quibbled with.
But GameDay can broadcast outside Jordan-Hare Stadium or the respective parking lots of AT&T Stadium or NRG Stadium any year they choose. They’ll probably never have a chance to go to Lambeau again.
LSU will make its 26th GameDay appearance, seventh most all-time. The Tigers are 16-9 in their previous appearances. Wisconsin will step in the GameDay spotlight for the 13th time; the Badgers are 5-7 in their previous 12 games, including four consecutive losses. Both teams’ most recent GameDay appearances came in 2015 losses to Alabama.
SEC teams are 5-0 all-time in GameDay games against the Big Ten.
How Charlie Strong’s ping pong vision saved Texas Longhorn Football.
By Rush Roberts
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(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images for Falcon)
It’s early in the 2016 off-season. No bowl game. It’s been a rocky start to what he’d hoped would be a brilliant tenure. Coach Charlie Strong, normally teeming with inspiration, is unsure about where to turn this time. Late in the evenings, tormented by doubts and conflicting thoughts in his office, he would descend the stairs to the Texas Longhorn Football game room.
The lounge looked as if it belonged in a business titan's vacation home. The lounge was a man cave of dark wood, cushy chairs, high-top tables and two big flat-screens hovering above eye level. In the middle sat a pool table with burnt orange felt. What the game room didn't have was bodies. It looked emptier than Perry-Castaneda Library on Saturday night.
The emptiness only fueled his sadness. Could his players not even enjoy themselves with simple family-style distractions? Had he led them this far astray? What could he possibly do to salvage this team that was teetering on the brink of a plunge into college football obscurity?
Then it hits him: ping pong.
The game was invented, appropriately enough, by bored British aristocrats in Victorian India in the 1860s and 70s. But what they saw as an after-dinner distraction will hopefully become a vital center of focus for a rejuvenated Longhorn football team this season after Strong’s vision and initiative led him to a radical decision: a new look for an otherwise deserted game room. The addition of the tables has already resulted in a complete change in the game room’s atmosphere:
Then it hits him: ping pong.
The game was invented, appropriately enough, by bored British aristocrats in Victorian India in the 1860s and 70s. But what they saw as an after-dinner distraction will hopefully become a vital center of focus for a rejuvenated Longhorn football team this season after Strong’s vision and initiative led him to a radical decision: a new look for an otherwise deserted game room. The addition of the tables has already resulted in a complete change in the game room’s atmosphere:
"The place is always packed," Strong said. "Even in the afternoons, they're in there. They're always in there. They're always in there. They're sitting around, and it's such a big deal. They're interacting! They're shooting pool. They're waiting on a pool table. 'Hey, Coach! I'm the best ping pong player EVER!' 'OK, whatever. You can't beat so-and-so.'"
It was as simple as that: adding a ping pong table had changed the entire culture at The University of Texas’ football program.
The excitement spread like wildfire, and soon ESPN was on the story:
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Mao Zedung once said,
“The cardinal responsibility of leadership is to identify the dominant contradiction at each point of the historical process and to work out a central line to resolve it.”
Charlie Strong has done exactly that: a game room where no one was playing games? That’s a brutal contradiction for a sports team to suffer. A glaring abnormality for a prestigious football program.
Charlie has identified that central line, and it is demarcated by a tiny plastic net, and on either side of it stand players at the ready.
Prepare to witness history, folks. The 2016 Texas Longhorns are going to astound you.
Charlie has identified that central line, and it is demarcated by a tiny plastic net, and on either side of it stand players at the ready.
Prepare to witness history, folks. The 2016 Texas Longhorns are going to astound you.
NCAABKB: Candid Coaches: College basketball recruiting isn't getting any better.
By Gary Parrish
(Photo/cbssports.com)
Five Quotes That Stood Out.
My Take-A-Way
As the poll shows, only a small fraction of coaches we contacted told us recruiting is cleaner today than it was five years ago -- meaning the overwhelming majority believe things are, at best, about the same and, at worst, well, worse. What's most interesting, though, is that almost everybody thinks the cheating is ... different.
Once upon a time, as the stories go, cheating was done with shoe boxes of cash. A booster might buy a car. A mom might somehow end up with a new living room suit. I mean, you've seen Blue Chips, right?
Once upon a time, as the stories go, cheating was done with shoe boxes of cash. A booster might buy a car. A mom might somehow end up with a new living room suit. I mean, you've seen Blue Chips, right?
And, absolutely, I'm sure things still get done the old-fashioned way, in certain cases; it would be naïve to think otherwise. But what we consistently heard from coaches is that cheating is now so layered and sophisticated at the highest levels of the sport that it's hard to pinpoint exactly who's behind what.
But somebody is usually behind something.
Most coaches acknowledged that.
And they told us the biggest difference between now and five years ago is that agents and shoe companies are influencing the decisions of elite prospects more than ever. Most coaches insist about 80 percent of the nation's top 10 players, in any given year, are already tied to an agent before they ever even step on a college campus because agents are often deeply connected to some of the top summer programs. Hypothetically speaking, of course, an agent might guide a prospect over which he has influence to a school that employs a coach he trusts with the understanding that the coach will protect the asset. Meantime, it's rarely a coincidence when a prospect who spends his summers playing for a Nike-funded team ends up on visits to Nike-sponsored schools. Same goes for kids with Under Armour connections. Same goes for kids tied to Adidas.
Which leads to the following question: is that really cheating?
Undeniably, these are ways in which coaches gain advantages on the recruiting trail. But what these types of deals often do is give coaches the ability to look in the mirror and swear they didn't cheat to get a prospect even when, deep down, they know they got the prospect because there were outside forces working for them.
Either way, recruiting will never be completely on the up and up.
Trust that.
As long as there are coaches getting paid millions of dollars to win, there will be coaches willing to do whatever is necessary to get the types of players it takes to win. It really is that simple. And the fact that many elite prospects come from less-fortunate backgrounds, combined with the fact that some are controlled by people who literally make their living hustling players, means a market will forever exist.
Bottom line, the cheating will evolve.
It always does.
But it's not ever going away.
OLYMPICS: Medals Count (08/18/2016).
| Rank | NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States (USA) | 35 | 33 | 32 | 100 |
| 2 |  Great Britain (GBR) | 22 | 21 | 13 | 56 |
| 3 |  China (CHN) | 20 | 16 | 21 | 57 |
| 4 |  Germany (GER) | 13 | 8 | 11 | 32 |
| 5 |  Russia (RUS) | 12 | 15 | 15 | 42 |
| 6 |  Japan (JPN) | 12 | 6 | 18 | 36 |
| 7 |  France (FRA) | 8 | 12 | 13 | 33 |
| 8 |  Italy (ITA) | 8 | 10 | 6 | 24 |
| 9 |  Netherlands (NED) | 8 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 10 |  Australia (AUS) | 7 | 10 | 10 | 27 |
| 11 |  South Korea (KOR) | 7 | 3 | 8 | 18 |
| 12 |  Hungary (HUN) | 7 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
| 13 |  Brazil (BRA)* | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
| 14 |  Spain (ESP) | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 15 |  Croatia (CRO) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 16 |  Jamaica (JAM) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 17 |  New Zealand (NZL) | 4 | 8 | 3 | 15 |
| 18 |  Kenya (KEN) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 19 |  Canada (CAN) | 4 | 3 | 11 | 18 |
| 20 |  Kazakhstan (KAZ) | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 |
| 21 |  Cuba (CUB) | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| 22 |  Argentina (ARG) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 23 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 24 |  North Korea (PRK) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 25 |  Poland (POL) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 26 |  Belgium (BEL) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
 Thailand (THA) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
| 28 |  Colombia (COL) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 29 |  Uzbekistan (UZB) | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 30 |  Greece (GRE) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
 Switzerland (SUI) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 32 |  Iran (IRI) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 33 |  Denmark (DEN) | 1 | 6 | 6 | 13 |
| 34 |  South Africa (RSA) | 1 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| 35 |  Sweden (SWE) | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 36 |  Belarus (BLR) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 37 |  Armenia (ARM) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 38 |  Serbia (SRB) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 Slovenia (SLO) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| 40 |  Indonesia (INA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 41 |  Czech Republic (CZE) | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 42 |  Ethiopia (ETH) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
 Georgia (GEO) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
| 44 |  Romania (ROU) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 45 |  Bahrain (BRN) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Slovakia (SVK) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
 Vietnam (VIE) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 48 |  Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 49 |  Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 50 |  Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Fiji (FIJ) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Jordan (JOR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Kosovo (KOS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Puerto Rico (PUR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Singapore (SIN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 56 |  Azerbaijan (AZE) | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 57 |  Turkey (TUR) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 58 |  Malaysia (MAS) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 59 |  Ireland (IRL) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 60 |  Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 61 |  Mongolia (MGL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 62 |  Algeria (ALG) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Grenada (GRN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Philippines (PHI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Qatar (QAT) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Venezuela (VEN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 67 |  Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
 Norway (NOR) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| 69 |  Israel (ISR) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Tunisia (TUN) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 71 |  Austria (AUT) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Bulgaria (BUL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Dominican Republic (DOM) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Estonia (EST) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 India (IND) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Mexico (MEX) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Moldova (MDA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Morocco (MAR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Portugal (POR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total (80 NOCs) | 243 | 243 | 276 | 762 | |
OLYMPICS: U.S. women advance to sixth straight gold medal game.
By Steven J. Gaither
The U.S. women's basketball team, the most dominant basketball in the world, is one win from a sixth consecutive gold medal.
The U.S. women's basketball team, the most dominant basketball in the world, is one win from a sixth consecutive gold medal.
The Americans defeated France 86-67 on Thursday night to advance to the gold medal game, as they have every year since 1996. They will play Spain, which beat Serbia earlier in Rio.
France hung tough in the first half, keeping it close as the U.S. led just 40-36 at halftime.
Unfortunately for the French, the Americans came out hot on offense and kept them in check on defense, allowing just eight points in the third quarter.
Taurasi led the way for the U.S. with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists. Four other women scored in double figures, including Maya Moore, who had 15 points, six rebounds and three assists.
The win was the 48th in a row for the U.S. women in Olympic competition. They have not lost on the game's largest stage since the Barcelona Games in 1992. But Taurasi isn't putting any stock in the past as she and her teammates prepare to face Spain.
The gold medal game will take place at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
"History's not gonna get you a gold medal," Taurasi said. "It's working at it, making sure you don't underestimate anyone and respect them. And that's what we do. We respect everyone we play against."
U.S. takes gold, silver in shot put as Ryan Crouser sets Olympic mark.
By Marc Lancaster
It has taken the U.S. runners a while to get up to speed at the Rio Olympics, but the American throwers and jumpers have been locked in since the beginning.
That trend continued Thursday night as Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs took gold and silver in the shot put. Crouser won with a throw of 22.52 meters (73 feet, 10 3/4 inches), breaking the Olympic record of 22.47 that had stood since the 1988 Seoul Games. Kovacs' 21.78 was good for silver and Tomas Walsh of New Zealand took bronze in 21.36.
Their work follows gold-silver finishes in the men's triple jump (Christian Taylor and Will Claye) and women's long jump (Tianna Bartoletta and Brittney Reese), plus golds in the women's shot put (Michelle Carter) and men's long jump (Jeff Henderson).
That trend continued Thursday night as Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs took gold and silver in the shot put. Crouser won with a throw of 22.52 meters (73 feet, 10 3/4 inches), breaking the Olympic record of 22.47 that had stood since the 1988 Seoul Games. Kovacs' 21.78 was good for silver and Tomas Walsh of New Zealand took bronze in 21.36.
Their work follows gold-silver finishes in the men's triple jump (Christian Taylor and Will Claye) and women's long jump (Tianna Bartoletta and Brittney Reese), plus golds in the women's shot put (Michelle Carter) and men's long jump (Jeff Henderson).
Kovacs and Crouser are both first-time Olympians but were popular picks to be on the podium after accounting for the six longest throws in the world this year entering Rio. Kovacs won the world championship last year in Beijing with a throw of 21.93 but Crouser beat him at the U.S. Olympic trials last month, so both entered in good form.
Kovacs, a 27-year-old from Pennsylvania, started strong with the 21.78 in his first attempt, but the 23-year-old Crouser moved past him into the lead with a personal best 22.26 in the third round before uncorking the record throw on his fifth. Kovacs fouled on three of his next four attempts but his first effort was enough to keep him in second place.
The U.S. has had at least one shot put medalist in every Olympics since 1984 but had not won gold since Adam Nelson did it in Athens in 2004.
Ashton Eaton repeats as Olympic decathlon champion.
By Marc Lancaster
Through the years, the man who holds the Olympic decathlon title has traditionally been known as the world's greatest athlete. That title might not be as straightforward now as it was back when it was first bestowed upon Jim Thorpe, but there's no denying Ashton Eaton's worthiness.
The American became the third man ever to repeat as Olympic decathlon champion, taking gold Thursday night with 8,893 points to tie an Olympic record set in 2004.
The competition was closer than expected, as Eaton entered the final event with only a 44-point lead over Kevin Mayer of France. Mayer would have needed to beat Eaton by about six seconds to take gold, but the reigning champion stuck with him throughout the 1,500 meters, pulling away in the final 300 meters to finish in 4:23.33, more than two seconds ahead of the Frenchman.
Mayer took silver with 8,834 points, and Damian Warner of Canada got bronze with 8,666 points.
American Bob Mathias (1948, 1952) and Daley Thompson of Great Britain (1980, 1984) were the two previous back-to-back decathlon winners.
Eaton excelled in the speed events, posting the best overall marks in the 400 meters (46.07 seconds) and long jump (7.94 meters) and the second-best in the 100 meters (10.46) and 110-meter hurdles (13.80).
The margin was close, but the 28-year-old from Oregon raised his game across the board during this Olympic cycle; his winning total in London four years ago was 8,869.
USOC apologizes for ‘distracting’ U.S. swimming incident.
SI Wire
The USOC has released a statement apologizing for the “distracting ordeal” that has resulted from the U.S. swimming robbery allegations.
Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger initially claimed to have been robbed early Sunday morning in Brazil. However, police found no evidence to support their allegations. Instead, the swimmers vandalized a gas station, with the station’s owner claiming that the group urinated on the walls.
While attempting to leave the gas station, the swimmers were stopped by security. Guns were then pulled on the group to ensure that they would not leave the scene before authorities arrived.
“The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members,” the USOC said in the statement. “We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States.”
“On behalf of the United States Olympic Committee, we apologize to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence,” the statement continued. “With three days remaining in the Olympic Games, our primary focus will remain on supporting the athletes who are still competing and celebrating the achievements of those who have finished.”
Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger have given their official statements to Brazilian authorities and have checked into their flights out of Rio. According to the statement, James Feigen revised his initial statement on Thursday evening and hopes to have his passport released soon.
Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, is already back in the United States.
American Bob Mathias (1948, 1952) and Daley Thompson of Great Britain (1980, 1984) were the two previous back-to-back decathlon winners.
Eaton excelled in the speed events, posting the best overall marks in the 400 meters (46.07 seconds) and long jump (7.94 meters) and the second-best in the 100 meters (10.46) and 110-meter hurdles (13.80).
The margin was close, but the 28-year-old from Oregon raised his game across the board during this Olympic cycle; his winning total in London four years ago was 8,869.
USOC apologizes for ‘distracting’ U.S. swimming incident.
SI Wire
The USOC has released a statement apologizing for the “distracting ordeal” that has resulted from the U.S. swimming robbery allegations.
While attempting to leave the gas station, the swimmers were stopped by security. Guns were then pulled on the group to ensure that they would not leave the scene before authorities arrived.
“The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members,” the USOC said in the statement. “We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States.”
“On behalf of the United States Olympic Committee, we apologize to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence,” the statement continued. “With three days remaining in the Olympic Games, our primary focus will remain on supporting the athletes who are still competing and celebrating the achievements of those who have finished.”
Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger have given their official statements to Brazilian authorities and have checked into their flights out of Rio. According to the statement, James Feigen revised his initial statement on Thursday evening and hopes to have his passport released soon.
Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, is already back in the United States.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, August 19, 2016.
emoriesofhistory.com
1909 - The first car race to be run on brick occurred at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
1909 - The Philadelphia Phillies were rained out a major-league record 10th consecutive day.
1917 - Team managers John McGraw and Christy Matthewson were arrested for breaking New York City's blue laws. The crime was their teams were playing baseball on Sunday.
1921 - Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers) recorded his 3,000 career hit.
1951 - The St. Louis Browns sent a midget to the plate against the Detroit Tigers. Eddie Gaedel, wearing the number 1/8 and standing only 3 feet, 7 inches tall, walked on four consecutive pitches and was then replaced by a pinch-runner.
1957 - The New York Giants Board of Directors voted to move the team to San Francisco in 1958.
1962 - Homero Blancas shot a 55 at the Premier Invitational Golf Tournament held in Longview, TX. It was the lowest score in U.S. competitive golf history.
1981 - In Zurich, Switzerland, Renaldo Nehemia set a new world record with 110 hurdles in 12.93 seconds. 1995 - Bobby Thigpen (Chicago White Sox) got his 40th save of season and became the eighth and fastest to record 40 saves in a season.
1995 - Mike Tyson knocked out Peter McNeeley after just 89 seconds.
1996 - Paul Molitor (Minnesota Twins) tied Lou Gehrig by hitting his 534th career double.
2002 - John Madden debuted on "Monday Night Football."
2004 - Baseball commissioner Bud Selig received a contract extension through 2009.
1909 - The Philadelphia Phillies were rained out a major-league record 10th consecutive day.
1917 - Team managers John McGraw and Christy Matthewson were arrested for breaking New York City's blue laws. The crime was their teams were playing baseball on Sunday.
1921 - Ty Cobb (Detroit Tigers) recorded his 3,000 career hit.
1951 - The St. Louis Browns sent a midget to the plate against the Detroit Tigers. Eddie Gaedel, wearing the number 1/8 and standing only 3 feet, 7 inches tall, walked on four consecutive pitches and was then replaced by a pinch-runner.
1957 - The New York Giants Board of Directors voted to move the team to San Francisco in 1958.
1962 - Homero Blancas shot a 55 at the Premier Invitational Golf Tournament held in Longview, TX. It was the lowest score in U.S. competitive golf history.
1981 - In Zurich, Switzerland, Renaldo Nehemia set a new world record with 110 hurdles in 12.93 seconds. 1995 - Bobby Thigpen (Chicago White Sox) got his 40th save of season and became the eighth and fastest to record 40 saves in a season.
1995 - Mike Tyson knocked out Peter McNeeley after just 89 seconds.
1996 - Paul Molitor (Minnesota Twins) tied Lou Gehrig by hitting his 534th career double.
2002 - John Madden debuted on "Monday Night Football."
2004 - Baseball commissioner Bud Selig received a contract extension through 2009.
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